Multiple extraction apparatus



March 3, 1953 R. w. DUNN MULTIPLE EXTRACTION APPARATUS Filed Nov. 15, 1949 IN VEN TOR. RA YBURN M Du/v/v A TTORNE).

Patented Mar. 3, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MULTIPLE EXTRACTION APPARATUS Rayburn W. Dunn, Berkeley, Calif., assignor to The Regents of the University of California,

Berkeley, Calif.

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a new improved extraction apparatus especially adapted to the I carrying out of processes wherein a plurality of stages of extraction is desired.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved extraction apparatus comprising essentially a single stationary member mounted in nesting relation to a single rotatable member and forming a compact, efficient assembly in which a dual extraction process may be carried out.

A second object is to provide an improved bafiling arrangement between stationary and rotating members of an extraction apparatus.

Another object is to provide an improved reservoir arrangement in extraction apparatus for containing bodies of solutions under treatment.

A further object is to provide an improved agitating and. pumping means for circulating a soling during operation of the apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1 and Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

As is well known, many manufacturing processes make use of a solvent for extracting a del sired material together with impurities from afirst solution and then bring said material and impurities into contact with a second solution wherein the material may be selectively extracted while the impurities remain with the solvent. Such a process may efficiently and quickly be carried out in my improved apparatus without especial limitations as to the precise materials under treatment. For example, the apparatus may be used when it is desired to extract iron from a first aqueous solution containing ferric chloride and impurities by means of an ether solvent. In such case the ether containing the ferric chloride and impurities is contacted with a second aqueous solution, such as sodium hydroxide, which destroys the ferric chloride complex and permits a subsequent recovery of purified iron from the second solution. As another example, uranium may be extracted from a first solution containing an aqueous nitrate material with uranium and impurities present therein.

The ether solvent containing the uranium and impurities is contacted with a second aqueous solution, such as a carbonate solution, which selectively extracts the uranium from the solvent and permits a subsequent recovery of purified uranium from the second solution. Accordingly, as used herein, the term first solution is intended to mean the solution in which the desired material is first introduced into the apparatus; the term second solution is intended to mean the solution into which the desired ma terial is selectively isolated, and the term solvent is intended to mean the fluid which extracts the desired material from the first solution" and from which the desired material is extracted by the second solution.

Referring now to Fig. l, a stationary tank Ill having a generally cylindrical external wall H and provided with a smaller diameter depending reservoir portion l2, hereinafter called the second reservoir, is mounted upon any suitable base support, not shown. Within tank II] a wall i 3 terminating in an upper edge I4 is suitably mounted and serves to divide the interior of the tank into a space 15 and a space Hi, the latter space being hereinafter called the first reservoir. Wall l3 serves as a bailie member and preferably is concentrically located with respect to outer wall II and extends about midway of the longitudinal axis of the tank. At its top the tank may be provided with an unsealed, removable cover I1 having a centrally disposed apertured boss l8 adapted to receive a rotatable shaft later to be described.

Extending from the second reservoir I2 is any suitable drain conduit 20 controlled by valve 2i and adapted to drain the second solution and the extracted material from the tank. For the purpose of circulating solvent through the apparatus an inlet conduit 22 controlled by valve 23 and an outlet conduit 24 controlled by valve 25 may be provided at a convenient location. Moreover, for the purpose of circulating the first solution through the first reservoir an inlet conduit 2B controlled by valve 21 and an outlet conduit 2% controlled by valve 29 is provided.

As will be noted, the distance from the bottom of the first reservoir space 16 to the top of baflle i3 is less than the distance from the bottom of the second reservoir l2 to the top of that baille. Due to the violent agitation which occurs in space 15 and the separatory action required of the nonmiscible mixture intended to be employed therein, sufiicient distance is thus provided for the lighter portion of the mixture to separate out 254 of predetermined T size.

before being forced over the edge M of the baflle.

Cooperating with thus described simple and compact stationary portion of the extraction apparatus, in the novel manner later to be described, is an equally simple and compact rotatable portion.

A v'ertically disposed shaft 46, herein shown servingalso as a conduit, may beprovided at a suitable location with a ring gear ti rigidly affixed thereto.

top of boss 68 through a thrust bearing structure 42 and thus support the weight of the rotating portion of the extraction apparatus. gear 43 driven by shaft 44 serves to impart the desired rotation to the shaft ill anditsattached parts.

Shaft All may have attached thereto a-hollow' coupling d to which is also attached a hollow nipple =45"servingiasianextension. of hollow-shaft 402-. Imaddition, there. may be. attached. to. said coupling-'azhollow agitator tube alrservingas isuppart for therotatable agitating and baffling structure ofi:the.zextra-ctor; Tube -4 71 preferably terminates inaclosedzlower endwall i8 adapted to" extend well into the second. reservoir space and. adjacent this lower end it isprovided with a plurality of radial hollow nozzles ie serving to impel fluid outwardly-from the: interior of the rotating 'tube 41 andto serve as a? mechanical agitator for the-fluids contained. in the'second reservoir.

Adjacent" its upper end, tub-e d? has rigidly affixed theretoaroof. member comprising a generally horizontal sheetportion'tt extending radially to'a distance greater than:theradia1 distance ofst'ationarywa'll:i3 and provided with a dependingcylindrical skirtzportion :5 l. The skirt portion, as will nowhbe; apparent, serves as a baili'ewhose lowenendfiZ. extends into the first reservoir space i 6' and whose wall serves to force any"'fiuid"passing'from the; second to the first reservoir'totravelthrough-narrow spaces 53 and Since the roof memher-thus provides-an enclosurefor the upper portionof'space'l'fi, which otherwise would entrap :g aseous'ingredients of the agitated-liquids un der treatment, a plurality of hollow tubes or vents55 are attached to the sheet 59 and-serve to vent'into'the upper space'ts .of tank iilany gas thus entrappedwithin the extraction apparatus; Suchitubes'areofadength.sufiicient to accommodate the liquidiorced. thereintoirom below thecrootmember. 5t and inefiectlconstitute a barometric legtindicativeof the relative pressure conditions existing withinthe apparatus while in: operation.

At a' suitable point above its attachedsheet 59, the tube 47 is provided with one or more apertures 5? into which the solvent is drawn during rotation of the tube.

As' willoccur to those skilled in the art, heat exchange jackets may be adapted to the stationary tank parts or to the rotatable parts, or to both such elements, without departing from the invention. Moreover, rather than using straight bafiles l3 -and5l these members may be provided with-special-means, such as scoops, projections, corrugations or the like to increase turbulence and contact of mixed fluids when a more gentle" flow is not desired. Furthermore, the-cover Il may be sealed to wall Ii in order to provide a-hermetic seal for tank H3 in case operationat atmospheric pressure is not desired.

Having thus described one form in which my This gear or any other appro' priate collar on shaft is may bearagainstthe.

A pinion.

invention may be embodied, the operation thereof will be evident fram the following description in which the entry of the second solution into the apparatus is made through the upper portion of shaft re. As will be noted, the operation may be conducted either as a batch or continuous extraction. With a suitable'uuantity of first solution in the first reservoir and'ia suitable initial quantity of second solution in the second reservoir, a suitable amount of solvent is then introduced. through conduit 22 and rotation of shaft ii) and its associated apparatus is begun. Meanwhile, a suitable supplementary quantity of the secondsolution is introduced through shaft 49 and-passes through nipple it into immediate mixture with a solvent. This mixture is thrown outwardly by nozzles 59, meanwhile mixing with .theadjacent second solution in reservoir 12, and

when an organic solvent, such as ether, and an aqueous. solution, such, as a suitable. hydroxide, are thus mixed the; resulting; turbulent lmixture isv still nonmiscible. Since. both the. first. and second solutions. customarily have a greater specific gravity than the solvent, a .separatory action takes .place as the. mixture .moves upwardly throughspace l5. Rotation of the nozzles 59 serves to build up a pressure within space 15 since both baffles it andfil are submerged. This pressure then builds up a hydrostatic head of 'solvent within vents 55 and also-servesto force the lighter solvent over the edgele'o'f wall'i3 and downwardly through space 53 alongthe rotating baffle 5i. Due to its pressurethesolventthen passes under the edge 52 of the rotating bafile and in passing through the hydrostatic head of the first solution inthe first reseryoir it, performs its firstextraction phase. As the solvent carrying the material to be extracted, ,together with impurities, moves upwardly into space 55 it is pulled into apertures 5.? of revolving tube il'and again movesinto. the second reservoir 42. Here its nonmiscible admixture with the second solution. permits the selective extraction of the desired material into such second solution which, due to itsgreater specific gravity, tendsto move into the bottom of the second reservoir [2. Meanwhile the solvent with impurities, but substantially devoid of the desired material, moves again into contact with the first .solution'rin the first reservoir. By this repeated circulation the dual extraction is continued until a suitable concentration of the second solution with extracted material is provided in the bottom of'reservcir i2- at'which time it may be drawn oil through conduit 2%. The'sclvent withits increased content of impurities likewise may be drawn "ofi through conduit 24 whenever desired, makeup being meanwhile supplied through conduit 22.

Having'thus described the invention, it will be apparent that other embodiments thereof may be devised by those skilled in the art and it is to be understood that the scope of the invention is considered to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Plural stage extraction apparatus comprising a vertically extending cylindrical tank having a cover disposed across the. upper endthereo-f, an inner cylindrical tankof. reduced diameter projecting upwardly through a corresponding central opening in the bottom of said firsttank, the open upper end of said inner tank terminatin substantially above the bottom of said first tank while the bottom of said inner tank isdisposed a substantial distance below the bottom of said first tank, and integral fluid agitating and fluid supplying means for said tanks including rotatable inlet tube means extending from an external supply vertically and centrally through said cover and terminating adjacent the bottom of said inner tank, a cylindrical bafile having a horizontally disposed and centrally apertured cover portion through which said tube integrally extends, the cylindrical wall portion of said ballle being disposed between said first tank and said inner tank and the lower margin thereof terminating below the upper end of said inner tank, and suitable ingress and exit connections to said tanks and tube.

2. Apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein the cover portion of said cylindrical bafile is provided with a plurality of vent tubes communicating with the space surrounded by said baffle and extending vertically for a substantial distance above said cover portion.

3. Apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said tube is laterally apertured immediately above said cover portion and the latteris-provided with REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 20 1,353,571 Dreibrodt Sept, 21, 1920 1,943,330 Mitchel1 Jan. 16, 1934 2,405,158 Mensin Aug. 6, 1946 2,458,261 Green et al Jan. 4, 1949 

1. PLURAL STATE EXTRACTION APPARATUS COMPRISING A VERTICALLY EXTENDING CYLINDRICAL TANK HAVING A COVER DISPOSED ACROSS THE UPPER END THEREOF, AN INNER CYLINDRICAL TANK OF REDUCED DIAMETER PROJECTING UPWARDLY THROUGH A CORRESPONDING CENTRAL OPENING IN THE BOTTOM OF SAID FIRST TANK, THE OPEN UPPER END OF SAID INNER TANK TERMINATING SUBSTANTIALLY ABOVE THE BOTTOM OF SAID FIRST TANK WHILE THE BOTTOM OF SAID INNER TANK IS DISPOSED A SUBSTANTIAL DISTANCE BELOW THE BOTTOM OF SAID FIRST TANK, AND INTEGRAL FLUID AGITATING AND FLUID SUPPLYING MEANS FOR SAID TANKS INCLUDING ROTATABLE INLET TUBE MEANS EXTENDING FROM AN EXTERNAL SUPPLY VERTICALLY AND CENTRALLY THROUGH SAID COVER AND TERMINATING ADJACENT THE BOTTOM OF SAID INNER TANK, A CYLINDRICAL BAFFLE HAVING A HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED AND CENTRALLY APERTURED COVER PORTION THROUGH WHICH SAID TUBE INTEGRALLY EXTENDS, THE CYLINDRICAL WALL PORTION OF SAID BAFFLE BEING DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID FIRST TANK AND SAID INNER TANK AND THE LOWER MARGIN THEREOF TERMINATING BELOW THE UPPER END OF SAID INNER TANK, AND SUITABLE INGRESS AND EXIT CONNECTIONS TO SAID TANKS AND TUBE. 